NBC Sports' Costas Inks Deal With MLB Network

MLB Network has hired longtime NBC Sports announcer Bob Costas to be on its roster of on-air talent, effective immediately.

As part of a multi-year deal, MLB Network will be the exclusive cable home for Costas, who will host special original programming with an emphasis on the game's history and its most significant figures and topics. He also will serve as the lead play-by-play commentator for a select number of MLB Network's slate of 26 live regular season games.

Costas, fresh off hosting NBC's Super Bowl XLIII coverage, will maintain all his current duties at NBC, including his role as host of the network's Olympic and National Football League coverage.

Costas today will interview Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre, who recently wrote a tell-all book about his years with the New York Yankees, for the new hour-long program MLB Network Studio 42 With Bob Costas that is scheduled to air in its entirety on Thursday, Feb. 5 at 8 p.m.

MLB Network launched on Jan. 1 in approximately 50 million homes as the largest such debut in cable history.

"In addition to being one of the preeminent sports broadcasters of his generation, Bob also cares very deeply about the game of baseball," said Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig. "We're glad to reunite him with the game he loves most and look forward to the exciting television he and MLB Network will create together in the years to come."

"I'm especially enthused about the type of programming we'll be able to create at MLB Network, a mix of historical pieces, documentary-style programming, interviews and play-by-play -- all the things I most enjoy, and it's all baseball," said Costas.

MLB Network has hired longtime NBC Sports announcer Bob Costas to be on its roster of on-air talent, effective immediately.

As part of a multi-year deal, MLB Network will be the exclusive cable home for Costas, who will host special original programming with an emphasis on the game's history and its most significant figures and topics. He also will serve as the lead play-by-play commentator for a select number of MLB Network's slate of 26 live regular season games.

Costas, fresh off hosting NBC's Super Bowl XLIII coverage, will maintain all his current duties at NBC, including his role as host of the network's Olympic and National Football League coverage.

Costas today will interview Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre, who recently wrote a tell-all book about his years with the New York Yankees, for the new hour-long program MLB Network Studio 42 With Bob Costas that is scheduled to air in its entirety on Thursday, Feb. 5 at 8 p.m.

MLB Network launched on Jan. 1 in approximately 50 million homes as the largest such debut in cable history.

"In addition to being one of the preeminent sports broadcasters of his generation, Bob also cares very deeply about the game of baseball," said Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig. "We're glad to reunite him with the game he loves most and look forward to the exciting television he and MLB Network will create together in the years to come."

"I'm especially enthused about the type of programming we'll be able to create at MLB Network, a mix of historical pieces, documentary-style programming, interviews and play-by-play -- all the things I most enjoy, and it's all baseball," said Costas.